Chapter Summaries

Old Ninth and the Little White Tiger Group distributed New Year supplies in Ice Prefecture, where the people publicly showed their gratitude and trust in him. Meanwhile, an armed group approached the city to capture a woman carrying a photo album tied to Kou Island’s invasion of the Dragon Kingdom.

• Old Ninth gave away his dividends to provide supplies for Ice Prefecture’s poorest residents, and the Little White Tiger Group prepared to attend a shareholders’ meeting.
• An elderly man thanked Old Ninth for killing Flower Boss, and the hundreds of people waiting for supplies knelt to show their gratitude.
• Old Ninth promised the people that nobody in Ice Prefecture would bully them or demand protection money without facing him.
• A burly middle-aged man led five off-road vehicles toward Ice Prefecture, saying his group had orders to capture a woman before she could reveal the photo album from Kou Island’s invasion of the Dragon Kingdom.
• The men realized the woman was heading toward Ice Prefecture, where Old Ninth and Little White Tiger could make the album difficult to reclaim.

Fang Mu reported the group’s profits, and Xiao Yuan explained how the money would be distributed among their allies and employees. A badly injured woman reached the Ice Prefecture branch seeking Eighth Master, but she was being pursued for evidence exposing Kou Island’s wartime atrocities.

• Fang Mu reported that the group had earned 160 million from Fei Island, while the company’s other operations and projected investments were also discussed.
• Ji Min demanded repayment of his loan, but Little White Tiger and Old Ninth joked and argued with him until Xiao Yuan explained the group’s obligations.
• A battered woman staggered through Ice Prefecture asking for Eighth Master and Ninth Master, then reached the Eight-Nine Group branch.
• Little White Tiger heard someone call out, but Hi Dog found only bloodstained footprints in the snow, and the group left without seeing the woman.
• Two men using a Blinding Bead revealed that they were pursuing the woman for a photo album documenting Kou Island’s human experimentation laboratory and threatened to hand her over if she refused to surrender it.

In an abandoned warehouse, Lian refuses to surrender a photo album documenting history, even as Kou Island students torture and threaten her. After Zhang and the others turn against their orders to protect her, Xiaodao kills Zhang and incapacitates the group, leaving the middle-aged man fleeing as the students seize Lian.

• Lian tells her captors that her teacher and senior died protecting the album and insists that history must not be forgotten.
• Xiaodao and the Kou Island students arrive, demand the album, and prepare to torture Lian after she refuses them.
• Zhang rebels against the middle-aged man's orders, frees Lian, and tries to take her away, but Xiaodao slashes his throat and incapacitates the others with anesthetic.
• The middle-aged man wounds his own thigh to resist the anesthetic and escapes toward a window as his companions urge him to flee.
• The middle-aged man looks back and sees the Kou Island students lay Lian on a table as her screams fill the warehouse.

Third Uncle, disguised as a child, encountered Xiaodao and his Kou Island companions while playing with firecrackers and refused to let them leave with an injured man. His guards and the Lei Zis surrounded the group, leaving them trapped in Ice Prefecture.

• Third Uncle’s firecracker startled an injured man out of an alley, and the man muttered “Kou Island” before Xiaodao and his companions arrived.
• Matsushita shoved Third Uncle aside, but Third Uncle shot him and warned the Kou Island group not to take the injured man away.
• Xiaodao recognized Third Uncle’s connection to Old Ninth, while Third Uncle boasted to his classmates that he was the Boss of Ice Prefecture.
• Xiaodao approached Third Uncle with a scalpel, but Black Mountain Town’s men and the Lei Zis surrounded him and his companions.
• The Lei Zis threatened to chop up Xiaodao’s group and make dumplings for their dogs.

After Kou Island youths attacked Third Uncle, Black Mountain Town and its allies mobilized across Ice Prefecture to hunt them down. Old Ninth’s men captured seven youths and began torturing them, while Old Ninth prepared to draw one apart with trucks.

• An alarm sounded in Ice Prefecture after Kou Island youths attacked Third Uncle, and Black Mountain Town’s bosses mobilized to search the city.
• Old Pestilence reported that Third Uncle had intervened when the youths chased a man, and that one attacker escaped after the Lei Zis wounded seven.
• Little White Tiger and Overlord ordered their forces to block the roads and hunt every Kou Island person in Ice Prefecture.
• Old Ninth arrived at a warehouse where seven captured youths were being boiled in gasoline drums by False Eye and the Lei Zis.
• Old Ninth tied one youth to steel cables and ordered trucks to draw him apart, while Hi Dog threatened his family and False Eye invited the men to bet on who would talk first.

Old Ninth tortured the Kou Island captives until Matsushita revealed that Lian Jing had escaped with photographic evidence and was hiding in a West City warehouse. The Lei Zis found her dead after horrific abuse, and Old Ninth and Old Sword vowed to avenge her and recover the film she had swallowed.

• Old Ninth and the Lei Zis tortured the captured Kou Island men, and Matsushita revealed that their leader, Kojima Sen, had ordered the killing of Dragon Kingdom scholars to conceal records of past experiments.
• Matsushita said Lian Jing had escaped with the photographic negatives and was last known to be at an abandoned warehouse in West City; Old Ninth killed him despite his confession.
• Old Ninth arrived at the warehouse and learned that Lian Jing had been alive when the Lei Zis found her, but her injuries were beyond saving.
• Old Sword said Lian Jing had asked them to recover the film she swallowed before she died, and the Lei Zis bowed in respect.
• Old Sword demanded that they find the Kou Island perpetrators and called for his chainsaw so he could avenge Lian Jing.

Kojima and the remaining Kou Island students hid in an inn in Ice Prefecture, but Kojima learned that his powerful contact would not risk confronting Little White Tiger and Old Ninth to rescue him. The innkeeper reported the students to Xiao Feng's men, and Little White Tiger and the others arrived at the alley as she faced Old Ninth.

• The seven remaining students from Kou Island hid in an inn, fearing the groups searching for them after the warehouse was discovered.
• Kojima called Mr. Tian for help, but Mr. Tian refused to rescue him and warned that even the Ma Family would not dare enter Ice Prefecture against Little White Tiger and Old Ninth.
• The innkeeper charged Kojima thirty thousand to keep the students hidden, while Kojima told the others they still needed her to turn away Old Ninth's men.
• The innkeeper left the inn and told Xiao Feng that the wanted students were inside, after recognizing them from the pictures he had sent.
• Little White Tiger and the others arrived at the alley, and Old Ninth asked the trembling innkeeper if she owned the inn.

Xiaodao Yuki learned that Kojima Sen was trapped in Ice Prefecture, while the Black Sun Mercenary Corps ravaged a town abroad. Old Ninth and Little White Tiger’s fighters confronted Kojima Sen’s group at the inn, where Old Ninth mutilated the college freshman and stabbed Xiaodao.

• Xiaodao Yuki spoke with Kojima Sen, who begged his brother to save him from Little White Tiger in Ice Prefecture.
• At the inn, Kojima Sen assured his companions that Xiaodao’s mercenary forces would make Little White Tiger back down.
• Old Ninth arrived with Little White Tiger, Brother Yan'er, Old Sword, Xiao Yuan, Hi Dog, and other high-tier combatants, while severed heads rolled into the room.
• Old Ninth tore out the college freshman’s tongue as Hi Dog and the others held the Kou Island group at weapon point.
• Old Ninth taunted Xiaodao, then stabbed him in the belly while pretending Xiaodao had walked into his blade.

Old Ninth and his allies defeated Xiaodao and the Kou Island Students after their anesthetic powder failed, then let the Lei Zis attack them. Little White Tiger rejected Xiaodao Yuki’s appeal to spare his younger brother and challenged the Black Sun Mercenary Corps as the Lei Zis resumed the assault.

• Xiaodao used anesthetic powder to knock down Old Ninth and the others, but Hi Dog resisted it because Bai had taught him to seal his senses and pores.
• Old Ninth and the others revealed they were unharmed, and Old Sword explained their defenses against poison while Little White Tiger broke the floor beneath the Kou Island Students.
• More than a hundred Lei Zis surrounded the students, and Old Sword severed Xiaodao’s wrist tendons as the group began attacking them.
• Little White Tiger answered a call from Xiaodao Yuki, who asked him to spare his younger brother and invoked the Black Sun Mercenary Corps’ reputation.
• Little White Tiger refused to show Xiaodao Yuki respect, mocked the mercenaries for staying out of the Dragon Kingdom, and ordered the Lei Zis to continue attacking.

Xiao Yuan interrogated Kui Xing about why he came to Ice Prefecture and learned that a film may contain a map to a treasure connected to awakening beyond the ninth level. Meanwhile, Xiaodao Yuki persuaded Black Sun’s commander to support a revenge mission against Little White Tiger.

• Xiao Yuan threatened Kui Xing with Transformed blood until he revealed that he had come to seize a roll of film from a woman and was not working with Kou Island.
• Kui Xing explained that the film contained evidence of Kou Island’s human experiments and a map that might lead to a treasure capable of unlocking what lies beyond nine awakenings.
• Xiao Yuan told Kui Xing to report that further incursions into Ice Prefecture would be met with death, then ordered her men to kill him if he tried to leave.
• Xiaodao Yuki asked Black Sun’s commander to let him avenge his younger brother, offering his thirteen-percent stake in the mercenary corps.
• The commander agreed to consider Xiaodao Yuki’s plan to take the Black Shadow Squad and a thousand elite troops into the Dragon Kingdom.

The Ninth Master's group examined an abstract map recovered from Xiaodao and decided to have a Capital University professor help decipher it. In the Capital, a European Capitalist Faction leader arranged for Xiaodao Yuki and mercenaries to target Little White Tiger in exchange for Federation support and patents.

• Old Sick found photographs hidden in Xiaodao's remains, including an indecipherable map, and Xiao Yuan argued that it was genuine and should not yet be handed to White Garment.
• Xiao Yuan proposed abducting Capital professors to interpret the map, but Little White Tiger said a Capital University professor was visiting their school and offered to approach him.
• A man in a white suit persuaded Old Master Ma to let mercenaries enter the Northeast, with their fighting restricted to Chun Prefecture and Ice Prefecture.
• The man explained that he was targeting Little White Tiger to appease the Federation and secure patents, while insisting that strengthening the Dragon Kingdom remained his goal.
• The man ordered his younger brother to contact Kui Xing in Ice Prefecture and have him assist Xiaodao Yuki when an opportunity arose.

Xiaodao Yuki and the Ruan Family plotted to kill Fang Mu and destroy Chun Prefecture’s mine on Fei Island, believing Black Sun’s mercenaries could overwhelm its defenders. Cody’s force was lured into a prepared trap, where Fang Mu and Guan Lei confronted them as Nuclear Cannons opened fire.

• Xiaodao Yuki sent Cody and Black Sun’s mercenaries to work with Ruan Lie, kill Fang Mu, and sabotage the mine.
• Ruan Lie agreed to rebel after Cody showed him a secret order promising Federation troop deployment, and he assigned Ruan Mi to help attack the mine.
• Ruan Mi seduced Brother Jia into letting the trucks pass the mine’s roadblock without inspection.
• Cody’s mercenaries stopped in a basin surrounded by Chun Prefecture’s forces, where Fang Mu and Guan Lei revealed the ambush.
• Guan Lei taunted Cody as Nuclear Cannons fired from the hills.

Xiao Yuan and Kui Xing confirmed that the attack on Fei Island had been anticipated, while Fang Mu’s forces revealed that Ruan Lie had never joined the mercenaries’ plot. Trapped between the Nuclear Cannon and the Lei Zis, Cody and his mercenaries faced a brutal counterattack.

• In Ice Prefecture, Xiao Yuan explained that she had predicted the attack on Fei Island and had monitored the Ruan Family, though Ruan Lie had given her no excuse to remove him.
• On Fei Island, Ruan Lie revealed that he had refused to betray Chun Prefecture and that Fang Mu had arranged the mercenaries’ ambush from the start.
• Guan Lei ordered his forces to fire and promised the mercenaries a chance to leave if they survived five minutes, while the Lei Zis blocked the mine’s exit.
• Cody attacked Jia Ge with his Gatling gun, but Jia Ge endured the gunfire and crushed the weapon’s barrels before holding Cody in place.
• The Nuclear Cannon struck, and as the blast tore through the basin, the Lei Zis charged the surviving mercenaries without retreating.

Xiaodao realized the figures waiting on Fei Island were police and tried to flee, but Dragon Kingdom fighter aircraft sank the European Capitalist Faction’s ship and killed its mercenaries. Guan Lei and Fang Mu then confronted Tian Guang over the destroyed ship, with Guan Lei demanding reimbursement and warning him not to trouble the Guan Family.

• Ruan Lie told Xiaodao that Cody and the others had stolen the Mine’s Nuclear Cannon, and Xiaodao headed for Fei Island.
• Xiaodao recognized the figures on the wharf as cops and ordered his boat back toward the ship, while Lei Zi reported the failed interception to Fang Mu.
• Three fighter aircraft attacked the European Capitalist Faction’s ship, sinking it and killing the mercenaries aboard; Xiaodao then cursed at the man who answered Ruan Lie’s phone.
• Guan Lei told Ruan Lie that the Seventh Fleet had destroyed the ship after it entered an exercise area, and Fang Mu apologized for the trouble.
• Guan Lei called Tian Guang, claimed the ship had been sunk as an exercise target, and demanded ten million for ammunition and labor while warning Tian Guang not to trouble the Guan Family.

Little White Tiger visited Professor Wen in Demon City to ask him to identify an ancestral map, but Professor Wen and his wealthy students insulted him and dismissed his modest gift. When they learned who he was, they hastily changed their tune, but Little White Tiger refused their belated offer and left the professor begging for a chance to help.

• Little White Tiger arrived at Professor Wen’s courtyard with gifts and asked the professor to identify a map showing his ancestral home.
• Tian Ke mocked Slut and disparaged his family while Professor Wen treated Slut as a servant despite claiming he was caring for him.
• Slut knocked Little White Tiger’s gifts to the ground, and Professor Wen refused to help after seeing the modest Northeast specialties.
• Little White Tiger prepared to leave, but Tian Ke recognized his name and realized he was the notorious figure from Chun Prefecture.
• Professor Wen reversed his refusal and begged to examine the map, but Little White Tiger declined and said he would return with Old Ninth unless the professor begged him.

Tian Ke bribed Professor Wen to secretly decipher Little White Tiger’s map, while Professor Wen assaulted Xiaodie and confessed to having her father killed. Broken Shoe killed Professor Wen and then demanded to see Little White Tiger, leaving the enforcers unsure how to explain the death to Eighth Master.

• Tian Ke persuaded Professor Wen to study Little White Tiger’s map for his family in exchange for money.
• Xiaodie visited Professor Wen, who tried to assault her and threatened her brother while admitting he had caused their father’s death.
• Broken Shoe heard Professor Wen’s confession, attacked him, and killed him with a fountain pen after being stabbed.
• Two enforcers arrived and complained that Broken Shoe had killed Professor Wen before Eighth Master’s planned arrangements were complete.
• Broken Shoe clung to an enforcer and demanded to see Little White Tiger so he could report something important.

Tian Ke learned that Professor Wen had died before he could reveal the map’s location, but Tian Ke had secretly photographed the map and discovered it might lead to Emperor Ying’s Sword. Little Pig learned the Tian Family had the map and gave Broken Shoe three days to decipher it, then insisted on confronting Tian Ke himself.

• Tian Ke watched Professor Wen’s burning courtyard and concluded that Little White Tiger had killed the professor to conceal the map’s location.
• Tian Ke explained that the map might lead to Emperor Ying’s Sword, a legendary treasure that could become a powerful Wasteland Artifact, and decided to take his secret photograph back to the Capital.
• Little Pig questioned Broken Shoe and learned that Professor Wen had sold information about the map to Tian Ke of the Tian Family.
• Little Pig ordered his men to kill everyone who had visited Professor Wen’s home, but spared Broken Shoe after he promised to decipher the map within three days.
• Little Pig told Old Ninth that the map was with the Tian Family and took responsibility for fixing the problem himself, despite Old Ninth offering to send Black Master after Tian Ke.

Tian Ke tried to bring a map revealing the location of Emperor Ying's Sword back to the Capital, but the Lei Zis ambushed him at the airport. Little Pig and Little Chicken reached Tian Ke despite the guards, but an airport Awakened stopped their attempt to kill him and left the two Lei Zis wounded.

• Tian Ke told Tian Guang that the map revealed Emperor Ying's Sword and headed for the Capital with it.
• Little Pig and the Lei Zis attacked Tian Ke outside the airport, and Little Chicken shot him as his bodyguards carried him inside.
• The Lei Zis fought their way past the airport guards, while Little Pig shot Tian Ke in the foot and threatened him over the phone with Tian Guang.
• Airport reinforcements surrounded the Lei Zis, but Little Pig pressed his gun to Tian Ke's face as Little Chicken taunted the guards.
• An airport Awakened stopped Little Pig's shot with a protective barrier and pierced Little Pig and Little Chicken with a saber.
• Tian Ke mocked the wounded Lei Zis, and one of his bodyguards charged at Little Pig.

After Little Pig was critically injured at the airport, Little White Tiger vowed revenge and sent Old Ninth to kill Tian Ke. In the Capital, the Tian family searched for Old Ninth while trying to decipher a treasure map.

• Little White Tiger learned that airport guards had critically injured Little Pig and Tian Ke, and he threatened to wage war on the Tian family.
• Tian Ke fled to the Capital, and Little White Tiger called Old Ninth and ordered him to kill Tian Ke.
• Five days later, Tian Ke urged Tian Guang to find Professor Wen’s former student, Li Que, for help deciphering the map.
• Tian Bo warned Tian Ke to stay in the hospital because Old Ninth had entered the Capital.
• Tian Guang said their search had found no trace of Old Ninth, leaving the Tian brothers alarmed by his disappearance.

Broken Shoe’s family was attacked by Tian Family Awakened who demanded he go to the Capital, and his mother was burned to death when he resisted. Little White Tiger killed the attackers, spared Broken Shoe, and gave him a chance to seek revenge on Tian Ke.

• Broken Shoe’s mother urged him to flee after he angered Little White Tiger’s people, but Tian Family men arrived and ordered him to come to the Capital.
• Tian Ke ordered the men to kill one of Broken Shoe’s family members when he refused, and the leader burned his mother to ashes.
• Ji Min and Little White Tiger arrived with Awakened; Little White Tiger killed two Tian Family men and executed their leader after calling Tian Ke to threaten him.
• Little White Tiger spared Broken Shoe, who demanded money and a ticket to the Capital so he could kill Tian Ke.
• Little White Tiger gave Broken Shoe a dagger and told him to forget what happened to Little Pig, while Broken Shoe swore to kill Tian Ke.